Michelmersh was awarded the ultimate accolade at the 2017 Brick Awards ceremony, the 41st Brick Development Association annual event, on Thursday 9th November. As a result of the British Manufacturer’s premium quality products and first-rate customer service, Michelmersh was announced the winner of several categories; including Best Urban Regeneration & Large Housing Development (above 25 units). Britain’s Brick Specialist continued its success throughout the evening by collecting the most prestigious award, the Supreme Award for South Gardens, designed by Maccreanor Lavington Architects and built by brickwork contractor Lee Marley Brickwork Ltd.
Michelmersh started the evening, delighted to have been chosen as winners of the Award for Large Housing Development (above 25 units), presented to South Gardens, which specified Freshfield Lane Lindfield Yellow Multi, Selected Light, Selected Dark and First Quality clay facing bricks to complement its impeccable design.
The judges commented: “This is an estate regeneration project of fine resolution, creating high density homes with a real sense of place. The high quality of detail design and construction, carried through from macro to micro scale is to be applauded.”
South Gardens is the first phase of Lend Lease’s Elephant Park Masterplan, set to deliver 2,500 new homes, 50 new shops, restaurants and a centralised park, which aims to restore nature into the heart of the city. South Gardens currently delivers 360 new homes across eight buildings, over three plots, which comprise of three storey townhouses, seven to ten storey mansion blocks and a 16-storey tower. The development is one of the world’s rare founding projects that is included in the inspirational environmental initiative: The Climate Positive Development Program, which was set up by the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group to challenge the world’s greenest major urban regeneration projects and to become models for large-scale cityscapes of the future.
Having been awarded the Supreme Award for South Gardens, the penultimate prize of the evening, the judges said: “The choice of bricks are well made, with numerous types and colours providing interest throughout while linking the existing surrounding Victorian context with that of the emerging redevelopment. The quality of the brickwork is exceptional, given the difficulties of the project having such a variety of detail within the elevational design.”
Dujardin Mews in Enfield, designed by Karakusevic Carson Architects and Maccreanor Lavington, also specified Michelmersh, Freshfield Lane bricks and won the award for Best Urban Regeneration Project. The judges applauded City Brickwork, the Brickwork Contractor, for their involvement, highlighting that this development is an example of how simple legible streets can be created using housing to transform the lives of residents by offering high quality places to live. The project has been described as what ‘council housing can and should be’.
Frank Hanna, Joint Chief Executive Officer of Michelmersh, said: “We are extremely proud to receive such recognition across a range of categories, in particular, The Supreme Award. This is testament to our workforce’s commitment to maintaining our high-quality standards and unrivalled attention to detail. These attributes allow us to continue to make our bespoke products, and materials of choice for acclaimed and renowned architects across the UK. Michelmersh plays a key part in supplying quality bricks to these superb built environments that local communities will enjoy and live in for generations to come.”
